The PRC’s J-20 “5th Generation” stealth fighter needs to get its boogie on, if it’s going to be operationally effective according to the crew at Aviation Leak:
China’s newest combat aircraft prototype, the J-20, will require an intense development program if it is going to catch up with fast-moving anti-stealth advances.
In fact, anti-stealth will bring into question all stealth designs: How much invulnerability will current low-observability techniques offer as air defense systems adopt larger and more powerful active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radars? From the early days of AESA development, a key goal was to build a radar that could detect very small objects—such as a cruise missile at a distance great enough to target and shoot it down—or a larger object like a fighter with a very low-observable treatment.
It’s the classic tale: Capability, counter-capability, counter-counter capability.
Left that link a few days back in comments about how the F-15C with the new scanning RADARs were gonna be the star players in this arena, being able to link over the data to the F-22 bubbas…oh, that’s gonna suckage for the “high speed, you didn’t see me” guys, don’t ya think?
Evolution in action.
Well, and let’s not forget that these are all different things:
1) Build a fighter
2) Build 300 of them
3) Build 300 of them to an adequate quality and reliability level
4) Train and keep training pilots to the level of the capability of the aircraft
5) Sustain a maintenance infrastructure that keeps all of them flying
6) Don’t have any pilots defect with the new fighter
DOD should offer $1 million, or similar incentives, to the first CHICOM pilot to fly one over to our side.
Well….remember that Joe Stalin said “Quantity has a quality of its own”. 182 jets can only shoot down so many adversaries before they are worn down to nothing. The Brits ALMOST fell to that trap just before the Nazis quit bombing air bases and went over to striking cities.
Me-262 outclassed all allied fighter aircraft in WW2. The USAAF shot a lot of them down. I hope we didnt build 182 Me-262′s.
It’ll come down to the aviator himself. His skill and his training is what will enable him to live or die.
Had you seen this yet? Updated F-15s with new radars will be the front line defense on this.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/01/old-school-jet/
OT, but has anybody checked at the ad to the left! The “imvu” “create your own look” blond bombshell showing at 12:29 PCT? Click on link. It’s a HOOT–a social networking fantasy-world
like sim-city–only with a “slightly” different emphasis. Does Lex’s wife know about this ad?
Ohhh–the “look” keeps changing..y’all HAVE to check this site out!! LOl
Wouldn’t the F-22 have the same problem?
Or is it totally immune to observation because there just aren’t any around?
I seem to recall that old bird the Tomcat having a rather bulbous nose as well. Will the Raytheon APG-63(V)3 and APG-82(V)4 fit in a Super Hornet? If not things might change a bit in terms of the fate of the Tomcat.
Lets not forget that an F-117 was shot down using Soviet era hardware that was designed in the 70s. Supposedly all the did was tweak the equipment and hope that an F-117 got close enough for a shot. One would assume from that that eventually all the gains in stealth will eventually be mitigated by better radar, heat and IR detection, and some other fancy gizmo.
Until we can make something that is neither hot or cold and is invisible the game will go on. Where are my Area 51 Roswell UFOs???
Releveant but very disturbing and controversial thoughts on the subject from Air Power Australia, based upon Dr. Kopp article in APA Analyses Journal. Here are some excerpts:
“What China’s New J-20 Stealth Fighter Means for the F-35 JSF and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet”
“By the time the F-35 makes IOC (if it ever does) it will be, to use that well-known technical term, ‘toast’.”
“… And if the F-35 is ‘toast’ that makes the F/A-18E/F ‘cinders’ – this 1985 ‘old wine in a new bottle’ aircraft has some fancy new electronics, but none that will save it from destruction in combat.”
“… the F-35 and F/A-18E/F pilots of the future will have exquisitely crafted digital cockpits which will give them a crystal-clear picture of their combat environment, such that they know with unprecedented precision the moment at which they will die – assuming that Russian and Chinese stealth technology can be easily defeated.”
Then there also remains the question of comprable and adequate quantities, doesn’t there?
Link 1
Link 2
It’s like arguing with your wife.
You know it’s over when she says’ “Fine.”
+1
+2
+ infinity
Anybody see the AWST front page from this week with the F-18 sporting conformal tanks?
That made me happier than J-20, though I think Kopp may be a flat earther.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/
Won’t let me link direct but the graphic will prob be on the home page for this week, and hopefully in wider circulation thereafter.
Saw the article. Boeing’s even talking about integrating a DAS on the SH.